Alternate Ending
by OneHellOfAnAnimeNerd93
Summary: This Is a story that has never really been told before. The story of the first child to become L's successor, A. Learn of how he came to be at the orphanage, known as Wammy's House and the friendship he strikes up with a strange raven haired boy with unusual eyes.
1. Code name Alternate

**Summary: ** This Is a story that has never really been told before. The story of the first child to become L's successor, A. Learn of how he came to be at the orphanage, known as Wammy's House and the friendship he strikes up with a strange, raven haired boy with crimson eyes. A x BB, L x A, L x BB. Slightly evil L.

**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Death Note or its characters.

**Warnings: **Suicide, Self harm, Alcoholism, Violence, Swearing and quite explicit Yaoi in later chapters.

**A/N: **This is just the prologue, explaining A's Life before and just after he came to Wammy's. Translations at the bottom.

* * *

For those of you that might recognise me (Although I highly doubt many of you will). You will know me as A, or Alternate, the first child chosen to become successor to the world's greatest detective, L. If you do know me however, then you'll know very well how my story ends.

But that isn't particularly important, right now what I want to talk about is how my story began.

I was born Aden Acros and raised by my father in a small two bedroomed apartment on the outskirts of Tulcea, in Romania.

My mother died giving birth to me leaving my devastated father, Costin, to raise me on his own.

Though I use the term "raised" rather loosely. You see my father was an alcoholic and would drink himself into oblivion near enough every day, trying to dull the pain of losing her, which meant that from an early age, I would have to fix my own breakfast and run around playing in the same clothes for days at a time. Not that that was unusual in my neighbourhood, many children had it a lot worse than me.

Now don't get the wrong impression, my father loved me very much and he tried to raise me as best he could on the little money he had and for the first few years I was happy, but my father was absolutely crushed by the death of my mother and from the few memories I have of him, I can't recall a time I saw him look genuinely happy, I only remember the occasional feeble smile when he was trying to pretend for my sake. It probably didn't help that my hair was the exact same shade of brown as hers or that my eyes were the exact same shade of green.

But by the time my fifth birthday came around he couldn't pretend any longer. It would also be a birthday i'd never forget.

The day my Father died.

Birthdays were never particularly happy occasions in our house to begin with, to me they were just a horrible reminder that my first act in this world was killing my mother. Although he never voiced this opinion out loud I know that's how he felt as well.

I'm getting a little off track here. Anyway back to the story.

The morning of my birthday started off pretty well, my father couldn't afford to get me a proper present but he took me to the local bakery and let me pick out my own birthday cake.

I ended up choosing quite a large sponge cake, with the words "Happy Birthday" written neatly in light blue icing. When we got back home, my father sang happy birthday, cut me some of the cake and then went straight in the cupboard and got out a bottle of whiskey and started drinking it.

He was drunk within half an hour and crying at the kitchen table, tears streamed from his heavily lined brown eyes, the bottle still firmly clutched in his hand.

Being five at the time and not having a clue what to do to console him, I just sat there staring at him sadly.

[1] "Sunt fiul rău" he slurred thickly, through the tears. [2] "Ne pare rău, Tati atât de patetic si inutil, el nici nu pot obține împreună și de a cumpăra un cadou adecvat de ziua ta blestemata! "

He started sobbing even, louder, I hated seeing him like this, I made my way over to the kitchen table and hugged him tightly.

[3] "Nu fi trist tati, aceasta este cea mai bună zi de naștere vreodată, promit" I tried to reassure him.

[4] "Nu trebuie să mint, știu că mă urăști, ai fi bine dacă aș fi fost mort "My father carried on, ignoring my words completely.

[5] "Nu fi prost Tati, eu nu te urăsc, te iubesc foarte, foarte mult" I said starting to cry myself.

[6] "Îmi pare rău, nu plânge Aden, ai dreptate, tata e doar a fi o prostie" he soothed wrapping his arms around me tightly, the smell of the alcohol almost choked me, but i endured it and cuddled closer to him. All i wanted was for him to stop crying.

[7] "Tati e doar de gând să se stabilească pentru o vreme, bine?" My father said staggering to his feet, trying to focus his eyes on me.

[8] "Bine, vise dulci tati" I smiled at him.

[9] "Te iubesc fiule"

Those were the last words my father said to me. When I went in his room later that day to wake him, he was hanging from the curtain pole, he had used his bed sheet as a rope.

And just like that I had No one.

My mind was completely blank by the time help arrived. The next door neighbour had heard me screaming and crying for my dad to wake up and came round to see what all the noise was about, when he saw my father swinging from the curtain pole he ushered me into the living room and called the ambulance and the police. I said nothing as I was brought into a police car, by a friendly looking police lady, my throat was to sore from all the screaming.

[10] "Nu plânge, unul mic" the police woman said kindly. [11] "Totul va fi bine"

I stayed silent, not wanting to hear her kind words, i didn't deserve them. I felt numb, it was completely my fault. I killed mother when I was born and my father committed suicide so he could be with her. I had caused both of my parents deaths. On that day I vowed never to let anyone close to me again.

It's kind of ironic isn't it? How my story starts and ends with a rope. But again, I digress.

The police decided to place me into foster care because I had no other family left to take care of me.

I didn't exactly make it easy for the families who looked after me. Some of them were bad, It probably sounds really messed up but I felt like I deserved the mistreatment those families showed me.

I remember how one couple, a pair of heroine addicts, who only fostered me for the money (In Romania, the law is kind of lapse on things like this).I was sent to live with when I was six, beat me so severely i was put in hospital for five weeks, with four cracked ribs and various cuts and bruises. I was taken off of them as soon as I left hospital but I remember at the time of the beating I was just praying for them to kill me. I didn't deserve to live.

But even the kindest families didn't end up keeping me for long. I'd fly into violent rages any time they showed me the slightest bit of affection, or did anything remotely kind for me whatsoever. They just wanted to love me, but I wouldn't let them, i didn't feel like i deserved their kindness, I didn't deserve love ever again.

The various counsellors I came across, all said that I was a brilliant child, but I had some severe trust issues that i needed to address.

I lived like this, being passed from foster family to foster family, Care home to Care home, for the next six and a half years, until I was finally transferred to an orphanage in England called 'The Wammy's House'.

When the social worker, a middle aged man with greying hair and glasses, whose name I can't recall, drove me up the large gravel driveway, I was greeted by a large, grand looking, red bricked manor house. I pressed my face right up against the car window, my eyes widened at the sheer size and grandeur of it. I had never seen such a beautiful building in my entire life.

Me and the social worker made our way through the large oak wood double doors and were lead to a large ornately decorated office, where I was presented before two old men and a young boy, Who had raven hair and was dressed in a baggy white long sleeved T-shirt and faded blue jeans, and stood in a hunched posture, he looked to be about fourteen.

"Thank you very much, we'll take it from here" one of the men, whose name was Roger, told the social worker.

"Okay, call me if you have any trouble with the boy" The social worker replied. The two men nodded in response.

After the social worker left, the two old men talked to me. In my native language, Romanian first they explained that me and the raven haired boy were the only ones that were here, then they asked me all kinds of questions, that I think had something to do with testing my intelligence, and then they told me that from now on I'd be known as Alternate or A for short. The boy remained silent throughout this process, until one of the men, who I later found out was named Watari, turned to look at him.

"L? Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"

The boy known as L, simply stared at me, his dark stoic eyes boring into me coldly. He looked totally bored and disinterested with me and my presence. I could tell that L was the one in charge around here and his influence would determine whether or not I stayed here.

"Hello Alternate" L said, after a long drawn out silence, in a voice as cold as his eyes.

"Hello, L" I replied politely in heavily accented English. I had only hurriedly been taught English a month ago, but being a fast learner, I was already semi fluent in the language.

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Watari smiled kindly at us both.

After they had finished talking to me, Watari and Roger suggested that L show me up to my room. L nodded and silently gestured for me to follow him out of the room, I picked up my small bag of belongings and did so.

He led me up a large staircase and down a long and quiet corridor, until we reached the bedroom right at the end.

I put down my bag on the bed and looked round the large, plain white room where I would now sleep.

L stood at the doorway and continued to fix me with the same cold stare as before. Then he began to speak.

"Alright A, I'm going to explain a few rules about the way things work around here. Rule number one; Lessons start at 8:30, so don't be late. Rule number two; Don't speak unless you're spoken to and Rule number three; Do not under any circumstances, piss me off. Do you think you can remember all that Alternate?"

"Yes" I nod quickly, I don't know why but I really wanted L to like me.

"Good, Dinner will be ready in about half an hour, so Roger or someone will call you down when its ready, See you round A" L gave me one last cold smile, before walking out of the room.

"Maybe he's just giving me a hard time because I'm the new kid" I thought to myself as I unpacked my stuff. "He'll probably be alright with me later".

I just prayed to god that I was right.

* * *

**Translations:**

_[1] "I'm sorry son"_

_[2] "Sorry, Daddy's so pathetic and useless, he can't even get it together and buy you a proper present on your goddam birthday!"_

_[3] "Don't be sad daddy, this is the best birthday ever, i promise"_

_[4] "You don't have to lie, I know you hate me, you'd be off if I were dead"_

_[5] "Don't be silly Daddy, I don't hate you , I love you very very much"_

_[6] "I'm sorry, don't cry Aden, you're right, daddy's just being silly"_

_[7] "Daddy's just going to lay down for a while, okay?"_

_[8] "Okay, sweet dreams Daddy"_

_[9] "I love you son"_

_[10] "Don't cry, little one"_

_[11] "Everything will be fine"_


	2. A New Kind of Game

**A/N:** Here's the second chapter. L decides to start being nice to A, for his own selfish, twisted reasons. I did mention L's an asshole in this, didn't I? He's only gonna get worse before he gets better Reviews are appreciated.

**Warning: **Underage Sex.

* * *

I was sat in my room, stretched out on the bed, sketching in my notebook. It was Saturday morning so I don't have any lessons today. I've been at Wammy's for about six months now and it was coming up to my twelfth birthday. L still hadn't warmed up to me, in fact I rarely ever saw him at all, except at mealtimes and even then, he didn't stay for very long he just ate his food and left the table without saying anything other than, I was to be kept out of his way.

"He must really not like me" I thought glumly. When I voiced this to Watari and Roger, they told me very kindly that I shouldn't take it personally, he was busy doing his own work. I understood he was busy, being the world's greatest detective at such a young age must have been difficult. But L not liking me wasn't the thing getting me down, I already knew I didn't deserve his his kindness. The thing that was eating away at me more than anything, was the loneliness. If I had just one other person to talk to or play with then maybe it wouldn't be so bad. "But you don't deserve anything good, you killed your parents" I remind myself.

I sigh heavily as I close the notebook and toss it down on the bed carelessly. I hadn't been down for breakfast yet and my stomach was rumbling. I jump up off the bed and got dressed.

As I walk down the corridor, past L's room, I try my best to make as little noise as possible, the last thing I wanted was an excuse for him to get angry with me.

_Creak..._ to late, L's bedroom door swung open and the pale teen, stood hunched in the door frame, the dark circles beneath his eyes were more pronounced than ever,making him look a lot older than he was. He looked like he hadn't slept for days.

"Oh...um...sorry L, I didn't mean to disturb you, I'll just..." I stuttered nervously.

"No, It's alright, I was just about to ask you if you wanted to get breakfast with me" L replies in a kinder tone than he'd ever used with me before. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was just about to go down to the kitchen" I reply, relaxing a little. Knowing that L wouldn't start shouting at me.

"Would, you mind if I joined you?" He asked stepping out of the door way.

"Y-yes, alright then" I smiled. Maybe now, he finally wanted to be friends with me.

We carried on walking to the kitchen. L remained silent but there wasn't the same coldness radiating from him as there had been the first day I got here.

The kitchen staff swarmed around us as we entered the room, or rather, they swarmed around L, asking him what he wanted to eat, offering him cups of tea and coffee, L just brushed them off looking annoyed at their constant hindering, and took two of cups of coffee and a jar of sugar, a plate full of toast, butter, jam and marmalade off the side and placed them all on a tray.

"Me and A are going to eat our breakfast in my room today, aren't we A?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, that sounds like fun" I beam, I couldn't believe he actually wanted to spend time with me.

"Okay then, let's go"

Once we were back in L's room, L set the tray down on the bed, and crouched next to in in the most awkward sitting position I'd ever seen, placing spoonful after spoonful of sugar in his cup of coffee. I stood there staring at him awestruck as he took a large gulp of the coffee, which now resembled a thick brown paste. How could anyone drink coffee that sweet without gagging?

"You're toast is going to get cold, you can sit down you know" L says. I hadn't realised that I'd been staring at him, drinking the foul looking paste for the past minute and a half.

I blush deeply and sit on the bed across from him. I grab a slice of toast from the plate and add liberal amounts of butter and marmalade, eating it ravenously.

"Are you hungry?" L asks, a slight trace of amusement in his voice, as he watches me devour the toast, with mild interest.

"Huh Huh" I manage, through the mouthful of toast.

A slight smile spreads on L's lips as he waits for me to finish eating.

"So how are you liking Wammy's so far?" He inquires, taking a small bit of his toast, which was smothered in jam and nothing else.

"Oh...It's okay, I guess" I reply, looking at my hands nervously.

"You guess?" L raises an eyebrow, In curiosity.

"No, I mean I like it here and everything, Watari and Roger are really kind, It's just...a bit...lonely..." I say sheepishly.

"I see, you could have always come and talked to me, If you felt lonely"

"I know, I just thought you...you didn't like me very much, I reply blushing more than ever. "Not that I'd blame you, I don't deserve anything good" I feel the tears threatening to spill over onto my cheeks.

L stares at me for a second, biting his thumb nail, watching me tremble. I was trying so hard not to let him see me cry and failing miserably, as a large tear trickles down my cheek.

"Hey, don't cry" L soothes, brushing the tear away with his thumb. I freeze at his touch, his fingers were cold, but the look in his eyes was filled with nothing but warmth. "I happen to like you very much, A. I was just giving you a hard time before because...because I was lonely too, I'm not used to other people very much. I didn't realise that the way I was with you upset you so much, I'm sorry"

"R-Really?" I ask, looking up at him, with my tear stained face.

"Yes really" L replies with a small smile. "Now, stop this crying or I really might start getting annoyed with you".

"Thank you!" I cry hugging him tightly, nuzzling my head into his chest. L looks down at me in surprise, before he gradually wraps his arms around my back, rubbing it softly.

"D-does this mean you want to be my friend?" I ask, pulling away from the hug and looking into L's pale face.

"Yes, I suppose it does " L replies, smiling down at me again. "Do you want to play chess with me? we can finish eating breakfast later"

"Yeah okay, But I'm not to sure how to play" I say.

"That's okay I'll teach you" He smiles. "Let me just go get it"

Five minute later me and L were sat on the soft, pale grey carpet, a fully set up chess board was placed between us.

"Alright, I'll explains the rules to you, First you have to pick what colour you're going to play as, White plays first, as seen as you've never played before I'll be white so you can see what to do" L says.

He went on to to explain the rest of the rules, pausing every so often to make sure I understood what he was saying.

"Have you got all that?" He asked, after he finished explaining.

"Yeah, I think so" I nod, showing that I understood.

"Alright, let's play, I'll warn you though, I'm pretty competitive"

The game lasted for nearly an hour, L won of course, as seen as he was more experienced in playing, Although I had to admit I was pretty impressed with myself at how quickly I picked up how to play, I very nearly beat him.

"Wow, I've never known anyone pick up chess so quickly" L seemed genuinely impressed.

"I wasn't that good, you were brilliant" I tell him.

"A, there's nothing wrong with admitting you're good at something, you know" L says kindly.

"Sorry" I say quickly, looking back down at my hands.

"And stop apologising" L tells me starting to get annoyed. "Do you want to play me again?"

"Yeah sure, I'll definitely beat you this time" I say jokingly, starting to feel more relaxed around him, setting the chess pieces back up on the board.

"We'll see" L replies, with a grin.

We ended up playing chess for the next four hours, With L winning three games to one, before we got bored. The tray of toast and coffee had long since been eaten. I helped L put the chess set away and we sat back on the bed.

"Thank you L, I had a lot of fun, this morning" I smile at him shyly.

"You're welcome A" L grins back. He pauses for a second staring at me carefully, before asking; "Would you like to play another game with me?"

"Yeah, What kind of game?" I ask, getting excited at the prospect of learning a new game and spending more time with L.

"This is a special kind of game" L says moving closer to me. "It might seem a little strange at first, but I'll show you what to do"

"Um...Okay" I say, starting to get a little nervous, from the lack of space between L and I.

L stood up and began unbuttoning his jeans, pulling the zipper down. I sat frozen in shock, watching as he pulled the denim material from his legs, kicking them to the side. I knew then exactly what kind of "game" he wanted to play with me.

"Um...L, I'm not so sure about..."

My voice catches in my throat, my whole body trembles as L kneels down in front of me and tugs at the waist of my jeans, unbuttoning them quickly, pulling them off my legs in one go, tossing them to the floor,my shirt following not long after. I let out a little whimper, my eyes brimming with tears as his body topped mine.

I-I've never done this before, W-what am I supposed to do?" I ask trying to keep my voice from trembling.

"Sshh, just relax okay, I've never done this before either, I'm your friend, I'm not going to hurt you, you trust me don't you?" L whispers, pulling my face closer to him, so his forehead rested against my own. I nod slowly, It was true, L was my friend and he wouldn't do anything to hurt me.

I watch him wide eyed as his pale, spidery fingers run up my shirt and roam over my chest and torso, placing feathery kisses on my collar bone and neck, sending shivers down my spine. Our lips met and his hand grabbed the back of my neck rather harshly and pulled me deeper into the kiss. I gasp, as he snakes his tongue into my mouth, filling it up with the taste of coffee and sugar, I almost gagged on the sickly sweetness of it.

L continues assaulting my mouth, biting and sucking at my bottom lip, I kissed him back rather clumsily, meeting his tongue with my own, completely unsure on whether I was doing it right or not, I really didn't want to disappoint him, I wanted him to like me, even if it meant this. I wrapped my arms round his pale neck, as L reaches down and starts toying with one of my nipples, I feel something hard roughly rubbing against my pelvis, as L grinds his hips against mine. Ii feel a strange warmth wash over my body as he continues grinding mercilessly against me and a string of breathy little whimpers and mewls leave my swollen lips. Before long I could feel a dull throbbing pain between my own thighs.

L pulls me up suddenly, so my thighs are on either side of his hips, and plants yet more kisses along my neck, only this time he grazes his teeth against my skin.

"Aaahh" I wince, as L's teeth dig deeper into my pale flesh, causing a small purple mark to erupt in the spot where he bit me.

"Alright A, in a second I'm going to make you suck me off" L says, sitting up again and removing his shirt, reaching down into his boxers and shoving his arousal rudely in my face.

"I-I d-don't know how to do this" I gasp, staring wind eyed at L's swollen erection, what the hell was he going to make me do? "I don't want to be bad at it for you"

"Just relax" L repeats, in a breathy whisper. "I'm sure you'll be amazing, all you have to do is suck it, like you would with a lollipop."

"Okay, I think I can do that" I say,shakily bending forward, taking the tip of L's cock in my mouth, It sure don't taste like a lollipop.

I slowly roll my tongue over the head, L lays back on the bed,moaning softly as I take the tip fully into my mouth and begin sucking his now throbbing manhood, my cheeks concaving with the force of the sucking. L entwines his fingers through my hair and thrusts more of his length into my mouth, precum had begun seeping from his cock.

"Aaahhh...A..." L grits out, his moans becoming more and more needy. L's grip tightens on my hair as he drives my head forward continuing to thrust deeper into my mouth. A muffled choking noise escapes my lips. I was gagging on L's swollen manhood, but L just wouldn't let up, his thrusts had become more erratic.

L pulls out of my mouth, before he cums, groaning loudly. I take a big gulp of air, tears running down my cheeks, L doesn't seem to notice.

"A...you were amazing, now how about I make you feel good" L grins wickedly, grabbing my wrists and pinning me to the bed.

L trails his lips all the way down my body, pausing a moment to nibble and suck at nipples, until he reaches the waistband of my boxers, L tugs them off my legs quickly, then he removes his own. He pulls my thighs apart painfully and places himself at my entrance.

"No!...L, I can't...please!" I cry, knowing full well what was coming next. Need I remind you that I was only eleven at the time and a virgin, so I was impossibly tight down there.

"it will only hurt for a second" L replies, ignoring my repeated pleas for him to stop.

L hastily spits in his hand, so I was at least a tiny bit lubricated, though not enough for me not to cry out in pain as he thrust his entire length into me roughly. Words can not describe the pain I was in, I screamed so loud, i was surprised Roger or Watari didn't come upstairs to see what was going on.

L only gives me a second to recover from the pain before he begins pounding into me, moaning loudly with each thrust. I squeeze my eyes shut and claw at the bed sheets, whimpering in pain, but I endure, this was all for the sake of L's friendship, if I let him do this with me then he'd definitely like me, if only I'd realised then, just how naive that thought was.

"UNGH!" A completely undignified noise leaves my bruised, swollen lips, as the pain between my thighs is mingled with a sensation of absolute pleasure, my back arches, mewling and whimpering softly, covering my mouth with the back of my hand, to keep myself from moaning too loudly. L, confident that he has found my prostate, picks up the pace of his thrusting, his breath had become laboured and shallow, repeating my name over and over. His body suddenly tenses and his thrusts become shaky and erratic.

"ARGH...A!" L screams, as he spills himself into me, riding out his orgasm with a few more shaky thrusts. The thought of making L feel good was enough to send me over the edge as well and I release a sticky, white substance onto my abdomen.

L pulls out of me, not to gently, causing me to whimper in pain. A small amount blood was trickling down my thighs and pooling onto the bed. My entire body was shivering with a mixture of pain and pleasure

There was no holding or cuddling or kissing,or smoking of cigarettes, like you see the people in the films do, after it was over. L gets up off the bed and retrieves my clothes from the floor, throwing them to me.

"You need to go and get a shower, while I take this sheet down, I'll just have to tell Watari and Roger you got jam on it or something" L says, in a bored voice, almost as if what just transpired between us was nothing more than a menial task which he'd had to perform. I stare at him confused, I thought sex was supposed to mean something, be something you did with someone you cared about and L was just treating it like it was nothing.

But like I said before, I was eleven and extremely naive.

"W-was I not...good?" I ask, my bottom lip quivering.

"Did It not mean anything to you" I internally cry to myself.

"You were fine, but it was only sex, it didn't mean anything" L replies nonchalantly

It felt like I had been doused in ice water, he had just used me to get what he wanted, he never really wanted to be my friend;

"It was only a game?" I ask numbly.

"Yes, it was just a game" L repeats "Now get your clothes on and go get a shower".

I silently obey, pulling my boxers on, shortly followed by my jeans and T-Shirt. Standing on wobbly legs,making my way over to the door. My whole body was aching and sore.

"Oh, just one more thing before you go, make sure you don't tell Roger or Watari about what we did, okay" L says, as my hand wraps around the door knob.

"Okay, I _promise_ I won't tell them. Goodbye L" I reply, quickly exiting the room before I broke down in front of him completely.

Ten minutes later i was stood underneath the shower, letting the warm droplets of water wash away my shame. I lightly touch the mark on my neck that L made, it was still sore and throbbing painfully. I rest my head against the cold tile wall and begin to cry, once I've started i just couldn't stop, L's words echoing horribly in my head; "_It was only sex, it didn't mean anything"_

* * *

I didn't see L for the rest of the day. After my shower I just stayed in my room, staring at the ceiling, the events of earlier still spinning in my head, making me feel nauseous. I was brought out of my thoughts by a sudden knocking on the door, it was Watari.

"Come in" I call, sitting up on the bed, hoping that he didn't notice the purple bruise on my neck.

"A can I have a word with you please?" Watari asks, walking into the room, a small raven haired boy following right behind him.

He was the strangest boy I had ever seen, he had tanned skin, which was covered by small cuts and bruises. His hair was long, reaching just past his shoulders, but the thing that drew me in the most about this boy was his eyes, they were deep blue, the same colour as the sky at twilight, with little flecks of red around the iris.

The boy stared back, with great interest, tugging at the sleeve of his bright red, scruffy red jumper, which appeared to be ten times too big for him. His eyes, however did not appear to be staring at me, they seemed to be staring at the space just above my head. Watari smiled before introducing the strange boy.

"A, I'd like you to meet B"

* * *

**A/N: **Cliffhanger! Lol, & A finally meets B! Sorry for the sucky chapter. Please feel free to review and tell me what you think of the story so far.


	3. Friends

**A/N:** Here's chapter three! Thanks to **BeyondBirthdayLover** for the review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! :D.

* * *

The small boy known as B, continued looking at me in silence, a small grin spread across his face, his smile was infectious and I couldn't help but smile back, no matter how low I was feeling at that was exact minute, It seemed to momentarily warm the coldness in my chest. Maybe he would be the friend I had been hoping for.

"Hello _A_" He seemed to giggle at the letter A, as if something about the letter amused him.

"Hello B. Welcome to Wammy's House" I reply, smiling at him kindly.

Watari seemed to be happy that we were getting along so well. And smiled at us both happily.

"B has just arrived here from Japan and I know you'll try your best to make him feel welcome" Watari smiles. "Why don't you get to know him better and give him a tour of the house before dinner, while I take care of some things"

"Alright then" I say, giving B another smile.

Watari gives us a small nod and one last kind smile, before he leaves the room to take care of whatever business he needed to take care of and I was left alone with this intriguing boy.

"So, where to first, Aden?" B asked in an innocent sounding voice, but his eyes danced mischievously.

I stare at B, in shock. How did he know my name?, did Watari tell him? No that couldn't be possible, we aren't supposed to know each others real names, B's smile spreads at my reaction to the announcement of my real name.

"H-how do...how do you know...my name?" I stutter, half scared, half utterly impressed.

"It's a secret" the raven haired child smiled. "But, if it makes you feel better, I'll tell you my name, I'm Beyond Birthday"

"You know Beyond, we aren't really supposed to tell each other our names, we are L's successors, no one is supposed to know anything about us, including each other, we'll get into trouble" I say, trying not to seem as shook up as I was.

"Not if they don't find out, we know each others names" B replies. "Who's L anyway?"

"Oh...he-he's the world's greatest detective, he lives here too" I say in a quiet voice, instinctively reaching for the bruise on my neck. The memory of todays events were painfully vivid in my minds eye at the mention of L's name.

B's eyes carefully follow my hand to the purple mark on my neck, his eyes lingering on the ugly mark of L's "love". I try to quickly hide it but I know it's too late. I wait for him to ask me about it, thankfully he stays silent and pretends he didn't see anything.

"Why don't I show you round now?" I say, quickly changing my tone of voice, to a more upbeat tone.

"Okay lead the way Aden" B replies, taking my hand, smiling up at me, and taking me by surprise.

I pause momentarily, staring down at B's thin, tanned face, every inch of him, radiated a certain innocence that all children his age possessed, despite his ragged appearance, all except his dark blue eyes, those eyes seemed to have seen things, even I couldn't imagine. I grip his hand back tightly and lead him out of my bedroom and out into the corridor making sure we steered well clear of L's room.

First, I show him the small classroom where I had my lessons, then I show him the music room, which held a grand piano, along with a few other instruments. B immediately rushes over to it and starts tinkling the ivory keys, not to well either. He begins laughing hysterical as he plays, I soon join in, due to the fact that his laugh, just like his smile, was infectious. After we've finished our giggling fit I decide took show him the room that was by far my favourite in the entire house, apart from my room. The library.

The library at Wammy's was a beautiful room, it was covered in row upon row of every kind of book imaginable. I liked to come in here near enough every night, to do my homework and study at the table in the far right corner. It may seem strange but the smell of old, musty books offered me an odd sort of solace. Now I'd have someone to share it with, maybe.

"Wow, this library is enormous, I've never seen so many books in one place" B says awe struck. "Do they have any Akazukin Chacha?"

"Akazukin what?" I ask, slightly confused.

"You mean you've never heard of possibly the greatest manga in existence?!" B exclaims, looking at me like I was insane.

"No, I haven't, is it really that good?" I reply, backing off slightly.

"Oh yeah, i forgot, you're not japanese, so you won't have heard of it, and yes it's amazing!" he says. "I'll read it to you later if you like, I have all thirteen volumes in my room"

"Yeah okay" I smile.

The look on B's face when I agreed was enough to keep me smiling for the rest of my life. He looked like all his birthdays and Christmases had come at once.

"I guess this means we're friends now huh?" B says excitedly.

Friends? B wanted to be friends with me? "Just like L wanted to be friends?" A horrible voice in my head whispers cruelly. I shake the thought from my mind. B wouldn't be like L, he was sweet and kind and there was something about him that told me he wouldn't lie to me.

"Yeah, i guess it does" I say grinning at him.

"I've never had a real friend before, the kids in my neighborhood thought I was weird" B's grin fades a little.

"Hey no need to get upset, neither have I" I tell him.

"Isn't L your friend?" B asks, looking at me carefully.

"Um...well..."

What was L to me exactly? Not my friend that's for sure. To be honest I wasn't quite sure what he was to me. Before I have a chance to give him an answer, we're interrupted, by none other than L. I can't bring myself to look at him, instead I look down at the floor my face is flushed a deep red, tears threaten to spill from my eyes for the fourth time today. B however looks directly at L with a grin spreading across his face, and just like he did with me, his eyes wander to the space above L's head and the smile grows wider.

"A, Watari says dinner is ready, he asked me to come and tell you" L finally acknowledges B's presence, seemingly unperturbed by the way B was staring at him. "Oh, you must be the new boy Watari was talking about, B, am I right?"

"Yeah, nice to meet you Lawli-" I quickly shake my head, indicating for B to stop talking, I wasn't one hundred percent but I was pretty sure he was going to call L by his real name.

The damage is already done, however. L's eyes grow wide, his usually emotionless features contorted in rage, he lounges for B angrily.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?! WHO TOLD YOU?!" L demands grabbing B and shaking him violently, the smile left B's face completely, But he didn't look scared, in fact his face had gone totally blank, even when L proceeded to slap him in the face, leaving a angry red hand print on the side of his cheek. "ANSWER ME YOU LITTLE SHIT!"

Being the coward I was back then I shrink into myself and cower in the corner, pleading weakly for L to stop.

"P-plea-please stop L, you're hurting him, he's only a kid, he doesn't know what he's talking about!"

L just ignores me and carries on shaking B violently, B's head started flopping back and forth.

"L! What are you doing?!"

Thankfully Watari had decided to come and see what was taking L so long and pulls L back roughly by the arm. He may not have looked it but he was pretty strong for an old man.

"Now tell me, what is the meaning of this?" Watari asks sternly, taking L by the shoulders, forcing him to look at him.

"He knows my name!" L shouts, pointing at B accusingly.

Watari looked over at B, who had not moved since L had been pulled away from him, his eyes had gone misty, as if he couldn't really see what was going on around him, when I saw that blank look on B's face, I wanted to cry. Watari let's go of L's shoulders and walks over to B and looks at him kindly.

"B, how do you know L's name? you don't have to lie to me, I won't get angry with you" Watari asks softly, so he doesn't scare him further. B snaps out of his thoughts and looks at Watari, his eyes burning with intensity.

"I don't know how I know it, I just do" B says defensively. The answer seems to satisfy Watari and he nods before going back over to L.

"Well L, I think you owe B an apology and A as well for that matter, you've frightened him as well".

L glances over to where I'm shaking in the corner, then to where B seems to have gone back into his comatose state.

"Fine, I'm sorry A...and B" L huffs childishly. "I'm not hungry anymore, I'm going to my room"

And with that he shuffles past Watari and out of the room angrily, not even bothering to look back at me and B. Once L has gone, Watari checks the mark on B's face and I slowly inch out of the corner and closer to where B is stood.

"Well both you boys seem to be okay" Watari says with a sigh of relief. "Why don't we go and eat"

I begin to follow him out of the library, but B just stays standing in the same spot, staring blankly at the row of books opposite him. When I saw that blank look on his face, I wanted to cry. I couldn't believe I had acted so cowardly, I should have done more to protect him, but I just huddled up in a corner and did nothing. I was so pathetic.

"We'll catch up with you in a minute" I tell Watari quickly. Watari seems to understand and leaves the library.

"B...I'm so sorry, I didn't know he'd hit you like that, it's all my fault..." I wrap my arms round him and begin sobbing on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Aden, it"s not your fault, L's just a spoilt brat, you're my friend" He replies calmly.

"No it's not all right, he slapped you and I just did nothing, what kind of friend does that?" I cried, lightly touching the red mark on his cheek.

"If you'd tried to stop him, he would have hurt you again, I know he was the one that did that to your neck" B replies pointing to the bruise on my neck.

"I don't care about that, he hurt you and I did nothing" I look at the ground.

"Honestly Aden, I've had worse things happen to me, what L did was nothing" B says simply. "Let's go and eat, I'm so hungry I could eat a whole truck full of jam"

I stare at him dumbstruck. How could he act so calmly after what just happened to him? My eyes wander to his shoulder, where the jumper had fallen slightly, to the cuts that covered his smooth skin. What had happened to him? Who had done that to him? And why didn't he hate me? I vowed on that day that I would never let any harm come to him ever again.

"Alright let's go and eat" I say,, taking B's hand and leading him to the dining room. His forgiveness making me feel slightly better.

* * *

It's well past midnight when I'm jolted awake by a faint shuffling on my carpet, I squint into the darkness to see the silhouette of a small boy. B. I had not long since left his room. After we'd eaten, B dragged me up to his room so he could read me a bit of the book he'd mentioned earlier, and he seemed happy enough then, but as my eyes adjusted to the darkness now I saw his cheeks were damp with tears and he was shivering horribly.

"B? What's wrong, why are you crying?" I ask worriedly. Had L done something else to him?

"I-I had a nightmare" He whispered in a shaky voice.

When I heard him speak it felt like my heart was going to break. He sounded so small and scared, not at all like the B from earlier who smiled even when L was screaming in his face.

"Come on let me take you back to your room" I say starting to get out of bed.

"No! Please don't make me be alone!" He pleaded suddenly, rushing over to my bed and burying his head into my chest. "Please"

"Alright then, you can stay with me tonight" I say wrapping my arms round him, gently pulling him onto the bed next to me and laying down with him.

"Thank you Aden, you're a good friend" he smiled sleepily, cuddling closer to me, so I could feel the warm puff of his breath, as he buries his head into the crook of my neck. "Promise, you'll never leave me"

"I promise" I whisper, lacing my fingers through his and closing my eyes.

And I meant it. B was the one and only friend I'd ever had. I vowed to myself then that I would do everything i could to make sure he was happy, I never wanted to see him cry ever again. I wanted him to stay exactly the way he was now, wrapped in my arms in this sleepy embrace. Forever

* * *

A/N: Well there was chapter three, I hope you liked it. And how cute was B at the end, come on everyone say it with me "Awww" XD. Please feel free to review.


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